Paper-feeding mechanism



L. MARTIN. PAPER FEEDING MECHANISM.

APFUCAHDN FILED "AR. 7, 1920- 1,373,254:. Patented Mar- 29, 1921.

4 SHEETS-SHE l.

L. MARTIN.

PAPER FEEDING MECHANiSM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 11, 1920.

1,373,254. Patented Mar. 29,1921.

4 SHEETSSHET 2.

L. MARTIN.

Patented Mar. 29, 1921.

'4 SHEETSSHEE] 3- L. MARTIN.

PAPER FEEDING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED IIIAII. 17. I920.

1,37 3,254. Patented Mar. 29, 1921.

f'iylfl. 16.11 15 as 1 I9 21 a0 a1 a? 42 as M LEON MARTIN, OF GENEVA, SWITZERLAND.

PAPER-FEEDING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 29, 1921.

Application filed March 17, 1920. Serial No. 366,498.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEON MARTIN, citizen of Switzerland, residing at Geneva, in the (onfederation of Switzerland, have invented certain new and useful Im rovements in Paper-Feeding Mechanism, 0 which the following is a specification. 7

The object of the present invention is an automatic paper layer machine for printing presses or other machines which are to be fed with sheets of paper. This machine comprises at least one pair of movable arms provided with suction devices intended to take the sheets up from a pile and to deliver the same to clamps carried by said arms which clamps will seize the edges of said sheets and advance the latter to the respective machines.

The paper feeding mechanism may be litted also with blowing nozzles coiiperating with the suction devices for delivering the sheets of paper to the clamps. These nozzles may be connected by means of flexible pipes to a suction device located near' the paper feeding mechanism and the suction periods may be controlled by a system of cams operated by the driving shaft of the machine.

The machine may also comprise a movable table carrying a bracket provided with a slide, which bracket may be fixed by. means of a screw and whereon may be placed a movable straight edge adapted to move laterally in the direction in which the sheets have to be advanced. V V

The brackets of the driving shaf are adjustable to position so as to adapt t e paper feeding mechanism to all widths of sheets to be fed.

In the annexed drawings two working forms of the paper feeding mechanism are shown as examples. 7 y 7 V Figure l is a diagrammatical side view of the first working form. I

Figs. 2 and 3 are plan views, th aters}? the delivery device taken in the dirctidn ofi tlie arrow A of Fig. 1, file second a plan of the driving device and of the suction device taken in the direction of the arrow B in Fig. 1. r

Figs. 4 and 5are a side view and a plan of one of the claifips intended to seize the sheets. 7

Figs. 6 and 7 are a plea and an and. view and of the movable plate located on said table.

Figs. 12, 13 and 14 are on a larger scale than 8, 9 and 10, a front view, a plan, and a side view of the controlling device of the suction members and of the nozzles.

Fig. 15 is likewise on a larger scale than Figs. 8 and 10, a side view of another working form of the device producing the oscillation of the suction members. 7

The paper feeding mechanism accordin to Figs. 1 to 8 is arranged on a horizonta table a supporting a pile a of paper sheets and resting with one end on the edge of an inclined table 7). The table a carries on brackets c and c a driving shaft 03 with a driving pulley d. The movable arms constructed with cross-bars e, e and 6 a, joined in pairs at the foreends by bars 7",) res ,ectively, are mounted loosely on shaft d, wo bevel gear wheels d are keyed to shaft (23 between the bars e, e and c 6 and mesh with bevel wheels g, 9 The latter are driven in opposite directions and are keyed to the ends of shafts ii, h, arranged between the bars e, e and 6 6'' respectively, and to the othe ends of which are keyed the bevel wheels g 9 These latter wheels are meshed with bevel wheels 5, z' keyed to inclined shafts k, 70 respectively and these shafts are mounted with the pieces f, f respectively, which in the lower ends on the table a serve as intermediate bearings for the movable arms. Said shafts is, k also support cross bars Z, Z attached to the pieces 1, f by means of screws f f and provided at their fore ends with axis as, m}, secured by said cross bars. The, lower ends of the axis m, m serve as snfpportsffor, the ends of the movable arms.

The delivery device comprises two chains a, a, operated in the direction indicated by the arrows 1 and 2. Vhenthe machine is moving, by means of sprocket wheels 0, o and 0 0 shafts 7:,' 7:1 and gears 2', 6 9 ,9 and each carrying a clamp p, 72 The opening of said clamps for seizing or for releasing the paper sheets is controlled the members a", v and 9*, r provided at the encls of the cross bars Z, Z. These clamps (Figs. 4 and 5) are formed with two blades 50*, p screwed unto the links of the chains n, 1?}.

The upper blades 79 carry an elbow arm 15 adapted to oscillate on an axis fiXQdTO the plate 12 The end 32 of the elbow arm p is kept in position against blade 79? by means of a resilient device consisting of a rod 72 held in position by a tension spring p. The extremity p of the elbow arm 17 is rounded off and is operated by one ofthe members 0', r and 9 7*, respectively whenever it passes underneath of one of said members as will be explained tart her on.

The separating suction membors, two in number, are mounted at the ends of the cross bars 0, 0 respectively, each of which presents to this end a rounded off extension whereon the separating members oscillate These separating members, whereof one is represented at Figs. 6, 7 each constitnte a two armed bracket S, S S arranged above.

and below the shafts it, h respectively and adapted to oscillate on the extension oit'the cross-bars (2. c The arms S? bear on cams it; Stfast at theends of the shafts it, il said socams producingz the oscillating of the brackets S, S S. I On each armS andby means of a plate S fast at the end of said arm S, is mounted the cylinder S 'of a pump, the piston of which is connected by means of a connecting rod S to a crankzpin is fast ona gear wheel S meshing with a wheel S fast on the end of the shafts h. The pump cylinder S is provided at its bot- \tom with a vent hole S which moveswith iolthe cylinder S and the arm s iand is intended to lift up the sheet of paper at the ,top of the V ile a on table or. v 7 The mac inn is also provided with a device for a lateral regulation. shown in Figs. 5 2 and 8 and cons sting ina straight edge 2' fast on table bi (Fig. 2) and a straight ergo t? monable on two parallel links #2 2' mountedon a bracket 2 fast on table I) and fitted with "a slide it and a fastening scren f which permits of bringing 'the ino iablc straight edge 15 into a desired position. This movable straight edge is novidcd, with lprojecting part i against \Vlllll a sa -nf j at tached to chain 7L1 will strike when the lat fter. isi moving. producing therehz; theadjizan cing of said straight edge whicln dun totheparallel links 25 2?, will advance para'llellywith the straight-edgeth vhile moving in a longitudinal direction with"- the oofpaper; The morable straightedge t is brought back into its starting position after the fi riger t" has passed by the projecting part by means of a resilient 'contrirance not represented in the drawing.

55 The working of the machine is as antes:

uilder: th eactionoi the cams S which may of the pile and atthe moment, when the i l e one inent lasting hnta shor Tlise'results ma be are adjustable position to yary'thc d widtliof'the paper sheets ii; stood that thebevel wheelsd'i The shaft d driving the bevel gear wheels {1i (7*, the shafts 72 ,79, the bow e ge afs rfg g the moving of chains 71, n The moving shafts it. k will rotatealso the sel'iarating suction m mbers by means o? the cams and as a pass sepsis? sheets has been put on table a, the vent holes Fi oi the separating; members will, at a predeterminedmomentand be eniployedasii regulating contrivance to vary the action of the same on the separating members, willwl 9scillating stick close to the Upper surface of the slipper-most sheet camsffii carrygthe ends of the section memhers ip gard, the vent lroles S liftthe sheet as the sintion of th e ppmpis S takes place at the momentot the upward movement of said Vventlholes- The position of theclamps p, .l 19 on the chains; n, bland the speed at which they moveisi sirclrthat the clamps the lifted'sheebatthe end of the lifting movement glndwhen the snctionoi the vent holes ceases gandlcarrgpthe same over the inclined table b so asto present to aprinting press raima es Zing theli'fted sheet i the clamps p, aassi'nil derneath the memhors r or i against which the parts p oi their rcspectiveelbow letter willlean and tliereb' This opening move-- t whilewill be stopped as soon asthe said; parts 72 are released from the members?" or T The same parts p1 passingnnderneath the n1eijn;her i: 2* which are llliifi the former and are mounted at thoends of the cross bars Z, 3' will eaHS the openingofthe elampsj), in order in I release the sheetofpaper which will now glide upon lthe inclined table Zrfavhere iii-will guided mt l fl desired direction by the straight edgest The gear workmg the eparating members by suctionrand the ls l 'I i M i Z I I l l livery device are so designed as to cause th clamps to seize the" s eets whenever they have been l fted up hy'gthe separating mew ll y obtained by adj usti iig the cams a V is Thebrac kets r". 0F thefilriving shaft; o

b)- l l according to being under- J, are mountltheshg tt and mag; also slide itince between the shgiitts ed mi feathers so astog ide nerhp ,sented in Fr 9' to n Qa hOr V'ontal table. Carrying 1g platefl wlth a' pilot cf's'heets,

said plate being adapted to oscillate and 1- 325 eir ro cateon trunnions ljprotgided at the in V marhiiie rests witllitsvfoi'e end on an inclined table 5; The horizontal tiible v1 carries bra c kets 6 and bracket 6 located betwen tlie former "in which is 130 mounted a shaft 7 fitted with a crank 7.

Two movable arms 8, 9 are hinged to shaft 7 by means of hinges 10, 10, said arms be.- ing provided at their other ends with hinges 11, 11, hinging said arms to arms 8. 9. Bevel gear wheels 12, 12 and 13, 13, are adapted to transmit a rotating movement from shaft 7, to shafts 14, 14, lodged inside of said arms, while bevel ears 1'5, 15 transmit said movement to shafts 17, 17 by means of bevel gear wheels 16, 16, which shafts form the pins of the hinges 11, 11 and carry atctheir ends the sprocket wheels 18, 18, similar sprocket wheels 19, 19 being mounted at the fore ends of said arms 8, 9 and chains 20, 20 being mounted on said wheels. Each of these chains carry clamps 21 adapted to seize the sheets of paper.

The opening movement of said clamps for seizing the sheets of paper in the pile 3 and for releasing the lifted and conveyed sheets again is controlled by cams or rather by trip fingers which are not represented on the drawing, but which are provided on the shafts of the sprocket wheels. The fore ends 8, 9 of the movable arms are each provided with a bracket 22 presenting at its lower part a roller 23 adapted to contact with the inclined table 5. The brackets 6 carry also besides the shaft 7 two threaded rods 24, one above the other, which extend.betweenbrackets 6 and 6. The rod 24 is attached to the hinge piece 10 by means of a lug 26, and. the rod 25 is attached to hinge piece 10 by means of a lug 27. Both rods 24, 25, are adapted to be turned by means of a crank 28 employed. alternately on the one or the other rod in orderto regulate the distance between the movable arms. The height of the movable plate 2 oscillating on trunnions 4 may be adjusted by means of an elbow lever 29 pivotedon a trunnion iiO on one of the brackets 6 arm of said lever is provided with slot whereby mat be moved afinger 31 provided atthe enc of a threaded rod 32.

which operated byfme ans of a crank 33 mounted 'on sa id bracket 6. Bytnrningthe crank 33 in one or the other direction the armof the elbow lever with the slot is swung in the same direction. while the "other arm of said elbow lever will swing downward pressing for instance on the aft "endofthe movable plate 2, whereby its fore part will be raised or when turning said crank in an .oppositedirection, the arm with the slot ofthe elbow lever will beraised, the other. arm ra i'singlikewise and releasing the aft part of the movable plate 2, .thefore part of which will sink. The trunnions =1 mounted on the lower part of the movable plate 2 are 'longfenough to'permitof a letmo'venient the movable plate 2;

The nozzles for lifting off the upmost sheet of the pile am mounted on brackets :34. both alike, but only one 34 is represented in Figs. 12 to 14, and will be described here. The brarket 34 carries a metallic pipe 37 provided at its lower end with a sucking-nozzle 36 and connected at its upper end by means of a rubber hose 38 to a sucking device not shown. This bracket is fixed to an axis 44 (Fig. 12) mounted slidably within the hinge piece 11 fast on the movable arm 9. Bracket 34 is guided also by means of a rod 45') fast to said hinge piece 11 and its movements are controlled by means of an arm 46 connected by a link 47 to the bracket 34:; said arm carrying a cam roller 48 guided by a cam 4-9 fast on shaft 14, which is operated by means of bevel Wheels 13. 12, from the driving shaft 7. Said cam 49 will cause bracket 34- to be oscillated. in a vertical direction and with it also the sucking nozzle. The metallic pipe 37 of the latter is titted with a sleeve 50 fixed by means of two screw bolts 51 on said pipe and carrying a roller 52 guided by a guiding edge :3?) fast to hinge piece 11.

Bracket 34 of the sucking device presents at its fore part a member 34 pivoted on said bracket so as to impart an oscillating movement to the sucking nozzle. A spring 54. connects the pins 56, whereof is fast on bracket 34 while the other pin 56 is fast on the hinge piece 11, and keeps the roller 48 in contact with the cam disk 49.

On the bracket 34 is also fixed a rod 57 supporting a blowing nozzle 39. This latter is provided with a nozzle 40 of a pcculiar shape fitted to the end of a metallic tube 41 which is connected by a rubber hose 42 to an air compressor not represented. Both blowers and both sucking devices are similar.

The working of this paper feeding mechaism is as follows: From the driving shaft 7 the movement is transmitted by means of bevel Wheels 12, 12, 15, 15, 16, 16 to the chains 20, 20 and to the clamps 21, which will seize a sheet from pile 3, which sheet has been lifted by the effect of the blowin and sucking nozzles, the operating of whic i is caused by the cams worked from the said shaft '7 in such a manner, that the blowing device will eject a jet of compressed air for separating the sheets, while the sucking device will be kept operating until the clamps 21 have seized the sheet lifted ofi by the sucking nozzles. At this moment the working of the blowing and sucking device is stopped and the sheet will be carried along by the clam s 21 on to the inclined table 5 where it is left free by said clamps at the desired moment. ,The adjusting of the movable plate 2 in height is effected by handby means I, I,

the suc ring members and cause of the crank 33 and the distancing from each other of the movable arms 8, 9, is effected by the crank 28.

The sucking nozzles from the beginning of the'sucking action until this action is stopped, are raised together with the support 34 by means of the levers 46, 47 and the roller 48 by cam 49. Said nozzles will during this ascending movement be oscillated by means of the roller 52 guided on the edges 53 of an irregular shape just so in order to impart to the sucking members this oscillating movement for better detaching the sheet on the top of the pile 3.

The oscillating device which is the same for both of the sucking members and whereof only one is described here consists of a guiding edge 60 pivoted on an axis 61 provided at its upper end and supported by a bracket 62 arran ed at the aft end of the hinge piece 11. his edge 69 is kept at an incllned position as represented in the drawing by a spring 63 fast at its upper end to the bracket 62 and leaning with its lower end against a projection 64- attached to the edge 60. The roller 52 mounted on sleeve 50 fast to the pipe 37 of the sucking device travels, when the sucking member descends during the working of the machine, on the back of the hinge piece 11 and is kept in conta ct with the same by means of a resilient contrivance not shown. It passes onthe back side of the edge 60 and while descending pushes the latter in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 15) but as soon as roller 52 has passed the edge 60 this latter is brought back by spring 63 into the inclined position and will have assumed the position shown in the drawing (Fig. 15). There the sucking device is moved upward again under the effect of cam 49 and the roller 52 travels on the undulated part of the ed e 60 against which it is kept in contact by t c said resilient device, not shown, and when itv reaches the upper end of the edge it travels horizontally on the to of hinge piece 11 under the effect of said resilient device. This workin form will cause the oscillating of a vertical descending movement of the latter so that the sucking nozzle 36 atthe end of tube 37 will be laid flatly on the sheet, which is to be lifted and the horizontal movement imparted to the sucking device at the moment when roller 52 travels on edge 60 will permit the introducing of the edge of the sheet lifted by vthe sucking nozzle into the clamps 31 carried by the chain 20.

This oscillating movement of the sucking nozzles may be imparted to the same during their rising movement or during their descending movement according to the shape given to the edges 53.

The adjusting in height of the movable plate 2 could be effected automatically by the rotating shaft 7 operatin by means of gear wheels the threaded rods 32 and the elbow lever 29.

The brackets 6, 6 instead of being fast on the horizontal table 1 might be mounted on a horizontal bar toward which the table 1 may be moved. v

The cranks 7 and 28 serving to turn the shafts 7 24: and 25 by hand might be replaced by an interchangeable crank.

The position of the blowing nozzles with regard to those of the sucking device may be different from that shown in the draw- The joint of the sucking device may be placed so as to be brought near to its lower end. Also the dimensions and forms of the various members of the machine may be dif ferent from those shown in the annexed drawing.

1 claim as my invention:

1. A paper sheet feeding apparatus com prisim a drive shaft, auxiliary shafts ad j HStEtlJTQ to and from each other and actuated by the drive shaft, pneumatic devices actuated by the auxiliary shafts for succes' sively raising sheets of paper from a superimposed pile, and conveyers actuated by the auxiliary shafts for carrying sheets of paper as successively raised by the said pneumatic devices.

2. A paper sheet feeding apparatus comprising a drive shaft, auxiliary" shafts, a rame in which the said auxiliary shafts are journaled so as to be adjustable to and from each other and to be driven from the drive shaft, pneumatic devices, means for actuating the pneumatic devices from the auxiliary shafts to successively lift the sheets of paper from a superimposed pile, and conveyers also actuated by the auxiliary shafts for carrying the sheets of paper as successively raised by the said pneumatic devices.

3. A paper sheet feedin apparatus comprising a drive shaft, auxiliary shafts driven from the drive Shaft andadjustable' to and from each other, pneumatic devices, means by which the pneumatic devices are operated from the said auxiliary shafts to successively raise sheets of paper from a superimposed pile, conveyers also actuated by the said auxiliary shafts, and ripper members connected to the conveyers or seizing sheets of paper as the same are successively raised by the pneumatic devices whereby the sheets of paper are carried by-the said conveyers.

4. paper sheet feeding apparatus comprising a drive shaft, auxilia shafts, frames in which the auxiliary s l'iafts are journaled so as to be adjustable to and from each other and to be driven from the drive shaft, an auxiliary frame pivotally connected to each frame in which the auxiliary shafts are journaled, a cylinder on said auxiliary frame, a piston in the cylinder, de-

vices for swinging the said auxiliary frame and operating the piston, a pneumatic device connected to the cylinder, the said devices for swinging the auxiliary frame and actuating the piston being driven from an auxiliary shaft, and conveyers for carrying the sheets of paper as they are successively raised from a superimposed pile by the said pneumatic device.

5. A paper sheet feeding apparatus comprising a drive shaft, auxiliary shafts, frames in which the said auxiliary shafts are journaled so as to be adjustable toward and away from each other and to be driven by the drive shaft, an auxiliary frame pivotally connected to each of the frames in which the auxiliary shafts are journaled, a cylinder connected to each auxiliary frame, a piston in each cylinder, a cam on each auxiliary shaft, an arm associated with each auxiliary frame and actuated by the cam and corresponding auxiliary shaft to swing the said auxiliary frame and cylinder, a gear also on each auxiliary shaft, a gear meshing with the aforesaid gear, a connecting rod extending between the piston in each cylinder and the second aforesaid gear, a pneumatic device associated with each cylinder, and conveyers by which the paper sheets are carried as the same are successively raised from a superimposed pile by the said pneumatic device.

6. A paper sheet feeding apparatus comprising a drive shaft, auxiliary shafts, frames in which the auxiliary shafts are journaled so as to be adjustable to position toward and away from each other and to be driven from the drive shaft, pneumatic devices operated by the auxiliary shafts for successively raising sheets of paper from a superimposed pile, conveyer frames connected to the said frames in which the auxiliary shafts are journaled, sprockets mounted in each conveyer frame, endless chains passing over the said sprockets, and gripper members carried by the endless chains and adapted to seize the sheets of aper as the same are successively raised by the said pneumatic devices whereby the sheets of paper are carried forward by the said endless chains.

7. A paper sheet feeding apparatus comprising a drive shaft, auxiliar shafts, frames in which the auxiliary s afts are journaled so as to be adjustable to position toward and away from each other and to be driven from the drive shaft, pneumatic devices operated by the auxiliary shafts for successively raising sheets of paper from a superimposed pile, conveyer frames connected to the said frames in which the auxiliary shafts are journaled, sprockets mounted in each conveyer frame, endless chains passing over the said sprockets, gripper members carried by the endless chains and adapted to seize the sheets of paper as the same are successively raised by the said pneumatic devices whereby the sheets of paper are carried forward by the said endless chains, a table fixed below the said endless chains, and guide members connected to the table for directin the path of the paper as the same is mover forward by the said grippers and endless chains.

8. A paper sheet feeding apparatus comprising a drive shaft, auxiliary shafts, frames in which the auxiliary shafts are 'journaled so as to be adjustable to position toward and away from each other and to be driven from the drive shaft, pneumatic devices operated by the auxiliary shafts for successively raising sheets of paper from a superimposed pile, conveyer frames connected to the said frames in which the auxiliary shafts are journaled, sprockets mounted in each conveyer frame, endless chains passing over the said sprockets, gripper members carried by the endless chains and adapted to seize the sheets of paper as the same are successively raised by the said pneumatic devices whereby the sheets of paper are carried forward by the said endless chains, a table fixed below the said endless chains, a fixed guide member associated with one of the endless chains and attached to the said table, and a movable guide member also attached to the said table and actuated by the other endless chain, the said guide members being adapted to direct the path of the paper as the same is moved forward by the said grippers and endless chains.

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LEON MARTIN.

\Vitnesses E. MIER SCHNIEDER, E. Mum. 

